


“Within the Space of a Single Day”

by withMoxie



Category: Sanditon (TV 2019), Sanditon - Jane Austen
Genre: 1x06, Canon Compliant, F/M, Missing Scenes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-28 15:26:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30141612
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/withMoxie/pseuds/withMoxie
Summary: When Babington wishes Sidney luck at the London ball, is it really about promoting the regatta?Missing scenes from episode 6, all from Babington’s perspective.
Relationships: Charlotte Heywood & Sidney Parker, Charlotte Heywood/Sidney Parker
Comments: 11
Kudos: 60





	“Within the Space of a Single Day”

**Author's Note:**

> Dialogue taken directly from ITV’s Sanditon is in italics.

Knocking at the door of No. 7 Bedford Place, Lord Babington knew he was about to make one Mr. Tom Parker a happy man indeed. Babington had made numerous enquiries about the upcoming social engagements of London’s elite, so that Tom might have the opportunity to pitch the Sanditon Regatta to them.

Sidney met him at the door, “Hello, Babington. How are things?”

“Is Tom available? I have news that he’ll want to hear.” Sidney indicated in the direction of the drawing room and they went straight in.

 _“Babington,”_ Tom greeted. After a quick nod, Babington noted Miss Heywood’s presence in the room, a fact he believed Sidney was quite pleased about.

 _“Well, I’ve asked around and, as luck would have it,”_ Babington began relaying his news, _“Mrs. Maudsley’s holding a masked rout this very evening in Grosvenor Square.”_ He could see Tom’s eyes light up. _“And this is your invitation.”_ He handed it over, graciously.

 _“My dear Lord Babington, you are a wonder!”_ Tom stared at the ornate card as though it was a precious treasure. _“It sounds as if London’s entire beau monde will be there – all of them eager to hear about our regatta!”_ His elation at the potential was evident.

 _“And you must come as well, of course, Miss Heywood.”_ Babington wanted to make sure she felt included in the invitation, it might give Sidney a chance to do something about his fascination with her.

 _“Thank you, Lord Babington, but I’m really not in a mood to be sociable.”_ Babington’s eyes darted to Sidney while she spoke; his friend was studying her closely. _“Excuse me.”_ She curtsied politely, then left the room with undo haste.

Tom poured drinks for the gentlemen and they sat to discuss recent events. “So, Sidney, I knew you’d come to London in search of Miss Lambe, but how is it Miss Heywood is here as well? Did she accompany you? I know the two are friends.” The note Sidney had sent asking for help with the regatta was short on details.

“Uh, no…she came by coach,” Sidney explained. “Our paths happened to cross as we were each searching for Georgiana.”

“Happened to cross?! In a city this large? Fate surely intervened to make that happen.” Babington was right to be astonished; it was an extraordinary set of circumstances.

“It’s a good thing, too,” Tom remarked. “Her parents entrusted her to our family’s care, I should not have wanted to write to Mr. Heywood to say that his daughter had gone missing in London.”

Sidney grimaced at that idea, his concern for her welfare obvious. He downed his drink quickly and rose to pour himself another. “Georgiana is glad to have Miss Heywood here with her. I’d rather not think of the dangers they’ve both faced.” Sidney’s expression was almost haunted.

“And how is your ward faring after her unwilling adventure?” Babington decided he should try to direct the conversation toward something uplifting. “Should she like to come to the ball with us tonight?”

“I doubt that very much, Babington. She blames me for her broken heart and swears she will never forgive me.” Sidney added, with wry smile, “At any rate, what she needs now is rest, not dancing.”

“It is a shame Charlotte does not wish to attend,” Tom rose to fill his own glass a second time. “She was the first to mention the word regatta and I imagine she’d do as fine a job of selling others on the notion as she did me.”

“Like Georgiana, I think Miss Heywood would rather not spend anymore time in my company,” Sidney looked chagrined, “and she could also do with some rest.”

Tom appeared not to hear his brother, or chose not to really listen to what he'd said. “You should ask her again, Sidney, we’ll have much more success promoting the regatta if she is there with us, I am certain.”

“Yes, ask her again, old friend,” Babington gave him a perceptive smile, “perhaps there is still a chance she’ll enjoy something of her first visit to London.” Giving them a nod, Sidney stood to go speak with Miss Heywood.

–––––

When Sidney returned to the drawing room ten minutes later, his mood was relatively unchanged.

“Well?” Tom asked, “What did she say? Will she assist us at the ball tonight?”

“I told her you’d like her to attend,” Sidney paused, “but she mostly wished to discuss the situation with Mr. Molyneux.” Another pause, as though he was replaying their conversation in his mind. “As I suspected, she did not seem enthusiastic about going to a party.”

“She may yet change her mind,” Tom was incapable of sounding disheartened. “Well, gentlemen, I must go finish a letter I was writing to Mary. Until tonight, Babington!”

After Tom left, Babington ventured a guess about what was most concerning Sidney. “You’ve had a stressful few days, old friend. I’m sure Miss Heywood will forgive you for anything you might have said out of your worry for Miss Lambe.”

“Is it that obvious?” Sidney poured himself another glass. “I fear I have irreparably damaged any good will Miss Heywood might have felt for me. Her spirit has dimmed since we’ve been here in London, and that is in no small part down to my treatment of her.”

Babington knew his friend was not inclined to marry, after what happened with his first engagement, but the looks he kept giving Miss Heywood were unmistakable. He’d been taken with her since their encounter at the coves.

“I apologized to her, for underestimating her,” Sidney continued. “But I’m certain she still thinks me a brute after how much I’ve shouted at her since Georgiana went missing.”

“She knows you were concerned for Miss Lambe’s safety,” Babington reasoned. “I sincerely doubt she will hold that against you indefinitely.”

“I wish that were true,” with a sigh he set his glass down, not even drink would make him feel better. “I believe the situation is beyond repair and there’s no sense dwelling on it further.”

Babington felt some cajoling might help, “Persistence, man! Look at me and Miss Denham.”

“Need I remind you that you have not yet succeeded with Miss Denham?” Sidney gave him a bemused grin.

“The operative word in that sentence being yet, old friend. I am determined to prevail and you should be too. If Miss Heywood is worth winning, you need to do all you can.”

“I’m not sure what else I can do at the moment. I’ve agreed to go to the ball to help Tom, and she wishes to stay here with Georgiana.” Sidney did not see either of those facts altering in the next couple of hours.

“I’ll have a dress sent over for her, shall I? Just in case she decides to attend.” Babington was determined to see the possibilities, even if Sidney could not.

“She would likely be happier playing cricket in the sand than putting on finery,” Sidney regarded him once more. “But I appreciate you wanting to help.”

“Very good, I’ll see to it. And I hope to see her on your arm this evening!” With that, Babington left Sidney alone with his thoughts.

–––––

 _“The brothers Parker!”_ Crowe announced their arrival at the rout most raucously, despite the noise level in the room not requiring such volume. _“And who is this spellbinding creature? I demand you introduce us at once, Sidney.”_

 _“This is Miss Heywood, you fool.”_ Babington reprimanded him sharply. Was Crowe already so drunk that he could not recognize someone they had seen so often in recent weeks? Sidney was liable to knock him out if he disrespected Miss Heywood.

 _“Oh, Miss Heywood? I would not have known you,”_ Crowe’s attempt at recovery was clumsy. _“The mask becomes you.”_ Sidney rolled his eyes behind his mask.

 _“Thank you, Mr. Crowe,”_ Charlotte was used to Crowe’s uncouth behavior by now. _“If that was indeed a compliment.”_ Babington had to chuckle at that. He could see why Sidney was so taken with her; she had a sharp wit.

Tom then reminded them all _“to spread the word of the Sanditon Regatta!”_ He likened himself to Admiral Nelson though their tiny event would be nothing like a naval battle. Perhaps living in Trafalgar House is what made everything Tom attempted sound so grand.

Crowe broke away from the group first, declaring his intent to continue making an ass of himself. Before Babington started to circulate, he wished Sidney good luck with his evening at Miss Heywood’s side. While Sidney was undoubtedly pleased she had decided to attend, Babington could feel the tension between the two had not eased as much as Sidney would wish.

Babington circled back to Sidney and Miss Heywood not too much later, wanting to check that they were still being civil. As he approached, she had a perplexed look on her face and he assumed Sidney was still being less than direct with her about his feelings.

 _“Well, I hate to admit defeat, but the word ‘regatta’ seems to be falling on deaf ears.”_ Babington knew he was interrupting, but a break in the conversation might be good for both Sidney and Miss Heywood.

Just then, Tom started calling to Sidney urgently, needing him to meet someone who was presumably willing to talk about Sanditon. Sidney glanced from Babington to Miss Heywood, as if to ask him to look after her while he spoke with Tom.

Upon closer inspection, Miss Heywood appeared a bit flushed. What had Sidney said to her? She gathered herself and found a topic they could discuss that was _not_ Mr. Parker. _“Um, I noticed you and Miss Denham were enjoying each other’s company at the cricket match.”_

 _“Hm, uh…yes. I…I thought so too, Miss Heywood.”_ He wondered how many other people were watching him and Miss Denham that day. _“But apparently I was mistaken.”_ He would rather discuss Sidney, to be honest, but if Miss Heywood wanted to avoid that subject far be it from him to forgo a chance to get some advice to aid his own ailing heart.

 _“You’re a…you’re a woman, Miss Heywood. Tell me this: is it possible for your affections towards a man to alter entirely within the space of a single day?”_ Miss Denham’s behavior nearly always flummoxed him, but perhaps there was something particular he didn’t understand about women more generally.

Miss Heywood turned instantly to stare at Sidney as she considered the question. When she looked back at Babington, he could detect a realization in her eyes. Had her affections for Sidney changed today? Oh that would be a welcome development!

 _“Uh, forgive me, Lord Babington,”_ she was becoming increasingly flustered. _“This room is rather too crowded, I find I can hardly breathe.”_ She backed away, glancing every so often in Sidney’s direction as she anxiously fled the room.

 _“Yes, of course. Of course.”_ Unsure what else to say, he figured he should let Sidney know what had transpired.

He joined Sidney and Tom who were still speaking with some prospective investors. Sidney leaned away from the group and quietly asked, “Babington, where is Miss Heywood?”

“You will be pleased to know she made a hasty exit,” he told his friend, amused by the shocked expression on Sidney’s face.

“Hasty?! Why would I be pleased to know that? Is she all right? What happened??” Sidney began scanning the room for her.

Babington smirked at his friend’s distress. “I asked her if a woman’s affections towards a man can alter entirely in a single day,” he began. “She looked at you, began to blush, then hurried away to get some air.”

Sidney was dumbfounded.

“I was speaking of Miss Denham, of course,” he continued while he waited for Sidney to process the implications of Miss Heywood’s reaction. “But I think Miss Heywood’s affections to you might have altered entirely – today,” he added for effect.

It took Sidney a few more moments to compose himself, the conversation he’d been having with Tom now completely forgotten. “Dare I hope that you’re correct in your assessment?”

“There’s one way to find out, old friend. Go find her and ask her to dance!” He patted Sidney on the back as he left in search of Miss Heywood.

–––––

It did not take Sidney long to find her; within minutes he was escorting her to the dance floor. Well done, old friend. Babington was glad for him. Miss Heywood appeared somewhat cautious about the situation, but Sidney seemed to be trying to reassure her.

As the music began, the two were as poised as society dictated, dancing around each other carefully. Once the steps called for Sidney to take Miss Heywood into his arms, however, Babington (and anyone else in the room who might be watching) noticed that Sidney brought her much closer to him than was strictly appropriate for an unmarried couple. Miss Heywood might have been slightly surprised at that, but did not resist and placed her hand on Sidney’s shoulder.

The smile on Sidney’s face after an impressive spin by Miss Heywood showed he was enjoying the dance immensely. Babington suddenly wished Miss Denham was here. Perhaps he should request this song at the upcoming Midsummer Ball in Sanditon.

As the music came to an end, Sidney should have assisted Miss Heywood in one final spin, but he was apparently unable to let her out of his arms to do so. He was genuinely reluctant to let her go at all, clenching his jaw when the moment finally came.

The crowd began to applaud the musicians and Babington saw Sidney turn toward the end of the room distractedly. Now what, he wondered? There was no time to figure it out, as Babington led his own partner to the floor for the next dance. Miss Heywood, he observed, would be dancing the next with Tom rather than Sidney.

Not long after the next song began, he could see Sidney speaking with a woman who reminded him of Sidney’s former fiancé, Eliza. That couldn’t be, could it? Why would Sidney give her the time of day after she’d passed him over? Babington rolled his eyes; this night would not end well, he could tell.

Babington noted Sidney’s shift in demeanor when he realized Charlotte was watching him talk with the woman. As soon as the dance ended, Babington would try to intervene in hopes of saving Sidney from himself.

He decided the best course would be to interrupt Tom and Miss Heywood. _“Tom, a moment? Uh…excuse us.”_ Babington knew he shouldn't be so brusque with Miss Heywood, but swift action was imperative. Perhaps with Tom’s help there was a way to extricate Sidney from the conversation. When the men brushed past the pair at the edge of the dance floor Babington was able to confirm that it was, in fact, Eliza. 

“It is unwise, don’t you agree, for Sidney to be conversing with Mrs. Campion,” Babington got right to the crux of the matter, hoping Tom would see the danger as he did.

“Why ever would you say that?” Tom countered. “She’s a wealthy widow and he’s loved her for years. Who could be more perfect for Sidney?” Babington appreciated why Sidney always got so frustrated with his older brother. A different tactic was required.

“You make a good point, Tom. Maybe she would be interested in renting an apartment in the Sanditon terrace?” He tilted his head toward the entrance where Sidney and Mrs. Campion were standing. “You should go speak with her about it.” Babington knew Tom was excited by that prospect and would manage to thwart Sidney’s conversation just by being himself.

When Babington returned to the ballroom he could see Charlotte encircled by dancers, looking absolutely lost. Why did Sidney have to pick that particular moment to develop his brother’s lack of awareness? The poor girl, she clearly did not know what was happening.

Babington made his way to her, managing to snake his way through the gaps in the dancing. “Miss Heywood, is the crowd getting to you again? Perhaps you need some more air?”

She looked at him gratefully. “Yes, Lord Babington, I think that would be for the best.” The song came to an end then, so he was able to lead her from the room without additional fuss. Once they were free from the dancing, she turned to ask him a question. “Would it be too much of an imposition for you to escort me home, Lord Babington?”

“Tom and Sidney would be in a panic we disappeared without a word, especially after what happened with Miss Lambe.” She nodded in agreement. “How about I send you home in my carriage, and I let them know what is going on?”

“That would be so kind of you, Lord Babington.” The relief on her face was undeniable.

–––––

Having rescued Miss Heywood from a painfully confusing situation, Babington went to shake some sense into Sidney. Upon his approach he could hear Tom’s incessant chatter to Eliza. Sidney acknowledged him, “Ah, Babington, how fares your evening? Any dancing partners tempt your thoughts away from Miss Denham?”

“Actually, I was just arranging for _your_ dancing partner to go home in my carriage,” he replied, tersely. “You were far to engaged in conversation to notice how upset she’d become watching you speak with Mrs. Campion.”

Sidney’s head snapped toward the dance floor then back to his friend who he pulled aside quickly. “I, uh…I did not realize,” with a sigh he rubbed his face with his hand. “I’ve gone and botched it up again, haven’t I?” Babington could not bring himself to stay upset with Sidney’s behavior, since he was surely berating himself for his insensitivity toward Miss Heywood.

“Look, Sidney, I understand it’s probably overwhelming for you to see Mrs. Campion again after all this time, but you need to decide if you want to go backwards or continue moving forward with your life.”

Sidney did not have a response to that, so Babington carried on.

“Remember what Miss Heywood said at Lady Denham’s? That marriage should be based on mutual love and affection. You didn’t have that with Mrs. Campion the first time around, what makes you think it would be any different now? With Miss Heywood, however…”

“You’re right,” Sidney cut him off. “Truly.” A waiter passed, carrying a tray of drinks. Sidney snatched one and finished it immediately. “Thank you, for looking after Miss Heywood. You’re a good friend.”

“You need to tell her how you feel, Sidney. If you want a future with Miss Heywood, you must let her know in no uncertain terms.” Babington was not one for pretense, especially with the people he cared about.

“The last thing Georgiana will want to hear is my voice during the ride back to Sanditon,” Sidney was presumably dreading the return journey with his ward. It would have been more tolerable if there was a happy Miss Heywood in the carriage, but that was unlikely now. “Plus it’s a conversation best had in private. I’ll need to wait until we arrive to try to speak with Miss Heywood.”

“But promise me you _will_ speak with her,” Babington pressed. “Do not leave her in any doubt of your intentions. You’ll regret it if you do.”

Sidney nodded solemnly. “I know, and I will. Maybe by the time I race you in the Sanditon Regatta, all will be well.” He put his hand on Babington’s shoulder and they headed back toward Tom, who had moved on to regale someone else with stories of Sanditon, Mrs. Campion no longer in sight.

“I hope, my friend, that we both have happy resolutions to our endeavors,” Babington concluded. They shared a knowing look, ready for the night to be over so they could get back to Sanditon.


End file.
